40 Days of Witnesses

Jesus walked the face of the earth for forty days after His resurrection to demonstrate to His followers that He truly was alive and to teach His disciples.  During those forty days, He appeared to various groups of disciples, proving beyond doubt to them that he had been raised from the dead by the power of God.

Jesus prepare them for the task of telling the world the Good News.  Luke writes, “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:  To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:1-3)

The forty days that Christ continued on earth, scripture records the activities of Jesus.

He Left the Tomb

Jesus Christ, who had just conquered death, left the buried tomb He had laid in tidy.  The Apostle John writes, “Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and saw where the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.” (John 20: 6,7)

According to the tradition of that day, after a servant set the dinner table, he would wait, just out of sight, until the family had finished eating.  If one of them was done, they would rise, wad up the napkin and toss it onto the table — the signal to clear their setting.   However, if they got up from the table, folded their napkin and laid it beside their plate, the message was “I’m not finished yet.” By wrapping the two cloths, Jesus left notice to those who are observing, “I’m coming back!”

He Appeared to Mary Magdalene

When Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James came to the tomb, the angel told them, ”Do not be fearful, for I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said He would. Come, see the place where He was.” (Matthew 28:5,6)

Mary Magdalene turned and saw Jesus standing behind her.  But she didn’t recognize Him – apparently thinking He was the gardener.  Gently, He asked, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who do you seek?” She answered, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”  Then Jesus simply spoke her name “Mary!” She exclaimed. “Teacher!” then reached out to touch Him. Gently, He said to her, “No, I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go tell the others.’” (John 20:15,16)

That Jesus appeared first to a woman is not something to overlook.  During that time period, women were among the lowest of the low.  Even after He was raised from the dead, Christ still looked first to the downtrodden.

Then on the Road to Emmaus

Luke records how two of Jesus’ followers, Cleopas and a companion, were walking home from Jerusalem to the town of Emmaus and Jesus approached and began walking with them, but “their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.”  He said to them, “What are you debating between yourselves.” Cleopas asked “Don’t you know all the things that have occurred concerning Jesus the Nazarene, and how our chief priests and rulers handed him over to the sentence of death and crucified him.   We were hoping He was the one destined to deliver Israel.

Luke concludes this appearance, “And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.  And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.   And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24: 30-32)

Then He appeared to 10 of the Apostles

The two men from the road to Emmaus found the disciples and were told that He had appeared to the women and now to Simon Peter.  The two related how He walked with them, then vanished before their eyes.

Meanwhile the doors were locked since the disciples were afraid that they might be crucified next.  But suddenly, Jesus stood in their midst and said, “May you have peace.”   Luke writes, “And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?  Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” (Luke 24:38,39)

Jesus said unto them, “These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  And ye are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:44-48)

Then again to Thomas

Jesus appears to Thomas.  “But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.  The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.  Then said He to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.  Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.  Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:24 -29)

Then at the sea of Tiberias

Not long afterward, Peter announced, “I am going fishing.”  Thomas, Nathanael, James and John and two other disciples went with him, but all night long, they caught nothing.  As it was becoming morning, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not recognize Him.  He said to them, “My children, you do not have anything to eat, do you?” They answered “No!” And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.  They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.  Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said unto Peter, It is the Lord.  Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.  As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

Jesus said unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.  Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. (John 21: 6-11)

Then He Ascended into Heaven

In the Book of Acts, the apostle Luke writes, “In the first account, I composed about all the things Jesus started both to do and to teach, until the day that He was taken up, after He had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles.  To these also by many positive proofs, He showed Himself alive after He had suffered, being seen by them through forty days and telling the things about the kingdom of God.

With this Jesus completes his stay on earth and states, “And you are witnesses of these things.   And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.  And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.  And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. (Luke 24: 48-51)

During His forty days on earth after HIS Resurrection, Jesus gave them (us) hope, taught His disciples, then He sent them (us) out to spread the Good News. Matthew records “And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20)